Apparatus for fleshing hides, skins or the like



L. N. HENRY May 19, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR FLESHING HIDES, SKINS, OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 28, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet 1 May 19, 1931.

L. N. HENRY APPARATUS FOR FLESHING HIDES, SKINS, OR THE LIKE Filed Dec.28. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 1-9, 1931. N. HENRY APPARATUS F ORFLESHING HIDES, SKINS, OR THE LIKE,

Filed Dec. 28. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 as 1/ s z 51 I 'I 5 27 as 9 lPatented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES LUCIEN NICOLAS HENRY, OF SOISSONS,FRANCE APPARATUS FOR FLESHING HIDES, SKINS OR THE LIKE Application filedDecember 28, 1927, Serial No. 243,195, and in France February 14, 1927.

My invention relates to an apparatus for use for fleshing or scrapinghides, which by reason of its simple and easy manipulation avoids thenecessity of employing skilled labour.

The apparatus'is characterized essentially by the employment of acircular rotary cutting blade, which is adapted to be so regulated as toallow strips of flesh varying in thickness to be removed, according tothe part ofthe hide which is being treated.

The apparatus is moreover so constructed that it is adapted to bedisplaced on the skin or hide in any required direction and adapted tobe regulated or adjusted without the workman having to remove his handsfrom the framework of the machine upon which they are resting.

"\Vith these objects in view, the axle of the rotary cutter isoperatedfrom a flexible shaft connected to an electric motor suspendedfrom a runway and displaceable within the workshop. This axle is mountedin a frame adapted to oscillate in a vertical plane, the oscillations ofthe frame being controlled from those of two cams operated by thefingers of the workman whose hands are applied to the neighbouringhandles, permit ting of the displacement of the socket.

This tool holder may also be adjusted longitudin'ally in such a manneras to allow of regulating the distance between the active part of thecutting bladeand the front part of the frame which presses down upon thehide to be fleshed. Y l

. 'Moreover the apparatus may be provided with a sort of shieldsuitably'shaped to reject or throw off on all sides the strips of cutflesh.

In order that my invention may be better understood it will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings which shows by wayof example a simple mode of construction and an improved embodiment ofa'machine for fleshing hides or. skins made according to my invention. Y

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 show thefirst mode of execution. I

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section.

Fig. 2 is afront elevation.

Fig. .3 is a part plan on a level with the line A, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows to a smaller scale the arrangement of the unit constitutingthe apparatus and its driving mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation partly in section of a second mode ofexecution.

Fig. 6 is a plan view partly in section.

As will be seen from the drawings, according to the first mode ofconstruction, the machine is provided with a socket or base 1 having ashoe 2 at the front intended to remove or smooth out creases in the hideor skin whilst being pushed forward during the work. The movementforward is facilitated by a slightly oblique lower surface 2 provided atthe lower portion of the shoe.

The base or socket is fixed to a frame 3, between the uprights orstandards of which is disposed at the rear a spindle 4 upon which arepivotally mounted lugs or extensions 5 made integral with the toolholder 6 which is, for example, cylindrical.

In the tool holder is mounted, preferably on ball bearings, a rotaryspindle 7 to the end of which is attached by means of a plate 8, acircular blade 9, preferably with a lower bevelled edge 9 and broughtsubstantially into the horizontal position by a suitable inclinationgivento the tool holder.

Underneath this latter is fixed a sort of shield 10 with an incurvedlateral surface and extending as far as 10 and opening out on eitherside of the spindle, in such a manner that the strips of cut flesh areejected or thrown away from the apparatus.

The tool holder 6 is provided with two lateral handles 11 and carriestwo pivotal axles 12 for cams 13 which are under the control of springs14. attached to the tool holder on the one handand on the other handrest on a wedge 15 displaceable in the frame in such a manner as toregulate or adjust the initial inclination of the system when-at rest,an inclination which as has already been seen, in which the bevel of theblade is substantially horizontal, with the plane of the upper portionof the blade directed under the rear edge of the shoe 2.

The earns 13 are provided with hook pieces the positionl3 to anotherposition 18 determining the various inclinations for 16, into which theworkman hooks' lllS forefinger, which allows him, whilst still holdingthe handles 11, to oscillate the cams from thus the blade between'thepositions 9 and 9 and thus allowing, during working, the thickness 7 yof the layer of flesh being removed to be varied according to of thehide to be treated. {The rotary spindle of the region of the hide whichis being treated, the back, head, feet, udder'or the like. f l i .1, .Asregards the initial regulation by means of the wedgesI5'thisiseffected-according to the type .of work to be done and thenature the machine iscoupled bv a flexible shaft 17 toa small electric'motor l8 (Fig; 4) provided with a reverser, which imparts to it amovement of rotation of suitable speed. motor may be suspended on a loop19 hooked to agroovepul-ley 20 running on a suitable-rail, cable orprofile track," This arrangfiment. allows the motor the apparatus indirection, without-interfer ng I to follow the movements of alongitudinal a with the .pliability of the flexible shaft couslin I: I i"i j l The: skin or hide to be treated is stretched outandmaintained ona horizontal table 22, covered with a sheet of zinc 23. The work m-antakes hold of the apparatus by the handles and pushes itv in .a forwarddirection over. the skin. The apparatus works like a plane andcarriesawayshreds orstrips of flesh adhering to the skin.

' The workman then brings the apparatus ragainto the: rear: and againpushes it. forward to remove a' the w-hole surface. When he comes to apart which is-mo-re fleshy, as for instance thehead, the feetfor.thendder, he operates upon' the cams with the forefinger in such away asto removea much greater thickness of flesh.

The .unit mechanism may with advantage becompleted or associated withmeans for sharpening the cuttingblade duringthedisplacementorwhenchanging thelhide. For

V thispurpose one or two fgIlIldStOIlGS QaLmay I be ,providedasay onehard and one soft, 150

which are sprayed. with. water andwhich extend to thelevel oftheworkbench, so that it isyonly necessary to push the apparatus over thesestonesv to obtain the required sharpening, the blade and the stone,turning together.

In the second mode of'eXecution shown in Figs-5, thecircularcuttingblade 9 is bevelled atits upper edge.

The directi on in which it works being determinedby the bisector of theangle of the bevelwhich must. form an angle of about-10 with the surfaceof the hide,

this arrangement allowing a very wide cut with the least possibleinclination. a The socket or base 2 is provided at between the standardswith a wide hollow to prevent the-heaping up of flesh between thefreshstrip of flesh andjso on, over shield 10 and the base, it'is alsoprovided at 26 (Fig. 6) with a discharge opening. The strips of fleshwill thus be easily evacuated and will not impede the movement of thetool holder. The, latter having for example the shape of a prism ofsquare section is provided at its lower part with a cylindrical portion.The axle .7 rotates in roller bearings 27 and its vertical position isset by means of two ball abutments 28. It may thus rotate at aconsiderable speed.

The frame isprovided with a horizontal slot 30in-which the pivotal axle4 of the tool holder accomplishes i a sliding motion under the action ofa milled nut'31 whic'hmoves the screw 32 and the. bushing 29, throughwhichsaid.pivotalaxispasses.

. This arrangement allows of regulating the distance between the activepart of the cutting blade and the lower back angle-of shoe 2. Saiddistance decreasing whenathe blade isbeing sharpened it will benecessarytopush the latter fmrward, I, U [The sliding movement of thegwedges -.15

which in combination withthe:cams13-deten mine thever-tica-l position iseasily controlled by s-crews gii'moved by me'ansrof milled nuts 34;The/tool holder-is providedon the other hand with screwthreaded dowelpins-35 which allow the transverse locking ofthe wedges by 'means. ofthe milled nuts 36. Standard gradations are-engraved upon. the

frame for the guiding of thereg-ula-tor thus allowing of --regula.tin gwith accuracy the cutting depth of the blade for the initial posi tionof the cams determinedQ-asbefore the action of springs l4.--';Thetensionof thelatter may be regulated a screw andnut device, it must besufficient to lift back the tool holder in the top position (of .theapparatus 1 when-atrest. I

The axis of rotation of the-cutting blade is advantageously connected;to the flexible shaft by means :of .a cone 8f7'engaging in thecorresponding part of the fiexible'shaft.

. Thescrewing down of the screw threaded hearing 38 ensures th pofgytheuj Oint and; allows of taking the apparatus t0 pieces withoutanjdifli I v V 1 The table of the apparatusanay be nionntedpadvantageouslyupon -screwj -acks in order to allow "off varying: its height accordingto the sizeof the 'worl'rma-n and the hideis suitably stretched onthetable by lateralwindsecure by Letters Patent of the United States 1s 1.In an apparatus for fieshing hides, skins and the like, a circularcutting blade, a r0- tary axle for said blade, a tool holder carryingthe axle, a frame, a pivot for the tool holder upon said frame, Wedgesprovided With an inclined bearing surface secured upon the frame, meansfor controlling the position of said wedges upon the frame, cams bearingupon the Wedges, pivotal axes for said cams upon the tool holder, aresilient connection between the latter and said cams and means forcontrolling the rotation of said cams and causing the inclination of thetool holder to vary.

2. In an apparatus for fleshing hides, skins and the like, a circularcutting blade, a rotary axle for same, a tool holder carrying said axle,a frame, a pivotal axle for the tool holder and means to control itsdisplacement on the frame, adjustable wedges provided with upperinclined surfaces, two cams bearing upon said wedges, pivots for saidcams, carried upon the tool holder, a resilient connection between thetool holder and said cams, an operating finger on both cams and a handleon said tool holder to allow of moving the apparatus and to modify atwill the cutting depth of the blade.

3. In an implement for fleshing hides, a base having a projecting hidesmoothing shoe, means to manually move the base over the surface of ahide, a pivoted knife mounted on the base, means to manually alter theinclination of the knife during the manual movement of the base over ahide, and means to rotate the knife.

4. In an implement for fleshing hides, a base having a projecting hidesmoothing shoe having a slightly bevelled under surface, a pivotedknife, means to adjust the normal inclination of the knife, and manualmeans to additionally adjust the inclination of the knife during themovement of the implement over a hide.

5. In an implement for fleshing hides, a base having an openingtherethrough, means to manually move the base over a hide, a knifemounted in said opening, means to pivot the knife to incline it to ahide surface, and manual means to Vary the inclination of the knifeduring the movement of the implement over a hide. c

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname.

LUCIEN NICOLAS HENRY.

